HAVE FAITH IN GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD-Hail the Messianic King!

In the first year of Babylonian King Belshazzar, Jehovah granted his prophet Daniel a dream and remarkable visions.  The prophet first saw four huge beasts. God's angel identified them as "four kings," thus indicating that they symbolized successive world powers. (Daniel 7:1-8, 17)  Daniel next beheld Jehovah, "the Ancient of Days," sitting gloriously enthroned.   Judging the beasts adversely, he took rulership away from them and destroyed the fourth beast. Lasting rulership over "the  peoples, national groups and languages" was then vested in "someone like a son of man." (Daniel 7:9-14) What a wonderful prophecy relating to the enthronement of "the Son of man," Jesus Christ, in the heavens in the year 1914~ -Matthew 16:13. 

Daniel knew that God is "removing kings and setting up kings." (Daniel 2:21)  With faith in Jehovah the "Revealer of  secrets,"  the prophet disclosed the meaning of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of an immense image.  Its various parts pointed to the rise and fall of such world powers as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. God also used Daniel to outline world events down to our time and beyond. -Daniel 2:24-30. 

"In the days of those kings," said the prophecy,  "the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin.  And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people.  It will crush and put an end to all these  kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." (Daniel 2:44)  When "the appointed times of the nations"  ended in 1914, God established the heavenly Kingdom under Christ.  (Luke 21:24; Revelation 12:1-5) By divine power the Messianic Kingdom "stone" was then cut out of the  "mountain" of God's universal sovereignty.  At Armageddon that stone will strike the image and grind it to powder. As a governmental mountain affecting "the whole earth," the Messianic Kingdom will stand forever. -Daniel 2:35, 45; Revelation 16:14, 16. 

With his Kingdom rule in mind, Jesus told his disciples:  "There are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see  the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:28)  Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James and John into a lofty mountain where he was transfigured before them, as a bright cloud covered the apostles, God declared:  "This is my Son, the beloved whom I have approved; listen to him." (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:1-9)  What a preview of Christ's Kingdom glory! No wonder Peter referred to that dazzling vision and said:  "Consequently  we have the prophetic word made more sure." -2 Peter 1:16-19. 

"The prophetic word" apparently includes not only Hebrew Scripture prophecies about the Messiah but also Jesus' statement that he would come "with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30) The transfiguration verified the prophetic word about Christ's glorious coming in  Kingdom power. Very soon, his revelation in glory will mean destruction for the faithless and blessings for those  exercising faith.  (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) The fulfillment of the Bible prophecy proves that these are "the last days." (2 Timothy 3:1-5m 16, 17; Matthew 24:3-14)  As Jehovah's Chief Executioner, Michael, who is Jesus Christ, stands ready to bring an end to this wicked system of things during  "the great tribulation." (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1) This, then, certainly is the time to demonstrate that we have faith in God's prophetic word. 

Next time: HAVE FAITH IN GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD! -Maintain Faith in God's Prophetic Word

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000